Temporada Seca / Saison Sèche / The Drought, Canada / Mexico / Mexique 2011, 21m, Diego
Rivera-KohnDomingo is an indigenous Mexican farmer who
lives with drought, both from the land and within himself. Stricken with grief,
he tries to relieve his drought through drink until his last ditch effort of
sacrificing his last goat in an attempt to reconcile with his ancestral deities.

Une Chanson d'Hiver / A Winter Song, Canada 2011, 36m, Aonan YangLike many other Chinese immigrants, Zhang, his
wife and their only child find security by owning a corner store. When symptoms
of a lymphoma that Zhang had previously suffered while studying to be an
engineer in college back in China, reoccur, that security and his resolve to
maintain it, is threatened.

Sanctuaire / Sanctuary, Canada 2011, 20m, Andreas MendritzkiA drama that examines the questions of the
Church’s role in modern society and its responsibility to provide shelter and
sanctuary to those who require it. A priest must find an immediate remedy
facing an illegal immigrant and her son who about to lose their only sanctuary
as the church is about to be sold for redevelopment.

Friday, 24 May 2013

This marvellous
12-year-old orchestra, led by the vibrant conductor, Daniel Myssyk performed
such a totally exhilarating concert last night (May 22); the audience did not
want to leave the Pierre Mercure Hall where the concert had taken place. Mr.
Myssyk mesmerized us with his program choice which featured diverse choral
works, four wondrous soloists (left to right in photo below: Nathalie Paulin, David Menzies, Michelle Sutton and Cairan Ryan) and full orchestral playing along with accompaniment
for the soloists and also for the choir in Haydn’s Messe Lord Nelson (the final piece) using four string players.

Last night musicality
and passion converged; the program and delivery of the exciting pieces provided
great audience appeal The concert opened with Le Soir which in Haydn’s Symphonie
No 8 in G major is preceded by two other symphonies: Le Matin and Le Midi.
From the opening trumpet sounds in the Allegro molto, the orchestra asserted
its confidence and dynamics with stunning expressions in passages ranging from
stillness and lightness evoking the night air, with vespers beckoning in quiet
beauty to a raging storm at end the day’s cycle. This was magically conveyed in
the symphony’s four movements – my favourite being the second one- the Andante. The orchestra was completely at
one with the sublime beauty of the composer’s intentions.

Next to appear on
stage was the invited choir, VCU Commonwealth Singers from Richmond’s
CommonwealthUniversity
in Virginia.
Led by Rebecca Tyree, this superb choir beguiled us with its ethereal voices
whose colouring, nuances and unity transported us into a world of watery
wonder.

Water Night was composed by
the mystic, Eric Whitacre who went into an altered state after hearing this
poem by Octavio Paz. The voices in this choir sing as one and the arrangement
was so beguiling, we were transported into a state of transcendence. Likewise,
we were entranced by the composer Tarik O’Regan’s choral arrangement of Edgar
Allen Poe’s poem, Israfel. We
succumbed to the various shades and colourings of sonoric beauty the music. It
evoked the celestial wonder of Israfel, an angel whose heart strings are a
lute, and whose stunning light casts a spell on all beings above and below,
even the stars. This work is part of a larger composition by Tarik O’Regan,
which is titled The Ecstasies Above.
Phrasing and emotional power ascended lofty heights of heavenly beauty. This
choral performance was as close to godliness as one can get. Even atonal
moments added interest and wonder to this remarkable work.

Appasionata gave us a
full musical feast treat in the final number in the program: Messe LordNelson, by Haydn The full force of the choir, string players and
the magnificent voices of soprano Nathalie Paulin and mezzo-soprano Michelle
Sutton along with the great baritone voice of Belgium-born Cairan Ryon – the
tenor was David Menzies all of whom marvellously conveyed the drama, artistic
maturity and emotional moods in this work which was composed during the
tempestuous times during the War of the First Coalition that roared through
Europe in 1798. Haydn was obviously affected by this period, and as such, this
work of profound emotions expressed in six main movements is both dark and
hopeful. It is one of his crowning achievements.

When the glorious work
Messe finished, the choir changed the
mood completely by responding to the encore.A lively spiritual number called “Who
Built theArk?” left the audience
begging for more.

The evening was indeed
a ‘Soir des Harmonies’ that proved utterly inspiring and uplifting. I was so
affected by the power and freshness of Appassionata; I picked up two of their acclaimed
CDs: Idyla that features work by
Mozart, Greig, Lekeu and Janacek. The other one has serenades by Dvořák and Suk.
The freshness and vigor of Appassionata is remarkable.

For more information
on Appassionata and upcoming concerts please go to:

Tuesday, 21 May 2013

Parker’s (Jason Statham) latest heist is to rob the Ohio
State Fair. He is disguised as a priest. It is soon revealed that the job was
suggested to him by his mentor Hurley (Nick Nolte) who is the father of his
girlfriend Claire (Emma Booth). An unfamiliar crew of 5 led by Melander
(Michael Chiklis) was hired to do the job with him.

Parker is a professional thief who lives by a code of
ethics:

–does not steal from those who cannot afford it

–does not hurt those who do not deserve it

–when he says he is going to do something, he
does it and expects others to do the same.

Overall, the job goes well but Melander double-crosses him.
He is shot and left for dead. A family passing by notices him and brings him to
the local hospital.

He recovers and vows to retrieve what is his. Nothing will
stop him; not even the potential danger to himself, Claire and Hurley. He tracks
the crew to Palm Beach Florida. They are planning their next heist –to steal
the jewels from a 50 million dollar auction. Parker disguises himself as a wealthy
Texan oil tycoon, Daniel Parmit, seeking to buy real estate. Leslie Rogers
(Jennifer Lopez) agrees to show himavailable properties. Leslie is just recently
divorced and lives with her mother, Ascension (Patti LuPone). Her career as a
real estate agent has not been successful and she desperately wants the
commission from this sale. She becomes suspicious that ‘Daniel Parmit’ is not
really who he says he is and confronts Parker. She wants part of the action. He
reluctantly agrees. Together they set out to determine what the crew’s next
heist is and to retrieve what is theirs and exact vengeance upon them.

This is a solid punchy action thriller that provides Jason
Statham his usual portrayal of a bad guy with principles and a moral
conscience.

Embark upon this voyage of discovery, exploration and
artistic adventure that takes place from June 3rd until the 23rd
2013. During this period, the festival will showcase over 500 artists: local,
Canadian and International from the following disciplines – theatre, dance,
music, visual arts, etc. in three separate programs; 22 venues in and around
the Plateau Mont Royal and Mile-End districts of Montreal. Over 700
performances and events in 3 different sections:

A.Fringe
A-Z – 6th till 23rd in 12 main venues + 7 off venues; 111 companies
performing from all artistic disciplines – comedy, theatre, musicals, dance and
others in both French and English. To allow equal opportunity and artistic
freedom, artists are chosen by lottery that is mandated to include 70% from
Quebec (35% each from Anglophone and Francophone) and 30% (15% each) from rest
of Canada and International. Artists have complete freedom to present anything.
They are not bound by artistic direction or censorship.

B.Fringe
After Dark – after dark, the wall between audience and stage will come
tumbling down in this nightly series from the 3rd till the 23rd. 16 events. Of
special note: June 06, 07, 13-15, 20-22 (8 shows) presented by Indie Montreal –
intimate concerts at the Divan Orange at 08:30pm. Tickets 10$.

Ticket Info:
‘Accessibility’ is a major ‘key-word’ in the Fringe Festival’s mandate and it applies
as well to you its audience. The price for each individual show in the A-Z
programming ranges from 3$ to 10$. In addition there are 4 types of passes
depending on your ‘Fringe Level’:

1.Ménage
à Trois – 3 shows (28$)

2.Gold – 6 shows (55$)

3.Platinum – 10 shows (85$)

4.Carte Blanche – unlimited – Fringe to your
heart’s content (250$)

A 2$ service charge is added to all sales. Tickets are
available online (as of May 7th), from June 4th till 12th
@ Mainline Theatre (3997 St-Laurent), June 14 – 23 @ Fringe Park. For 10$ more,
the Moksha Pass is valid for one Yoga lesson.

An appetizing rapid-fire foretaste from just over 70 artists
tantalizing (or trying to) our taste buds to get us to come and see their show.
Hosted by Miss Sugarpuss, Zack Adams and Cat Lemiaow – who (along with guests) also
host the nightly live talk show “the 13th Hour” (1am at Cabaret Mile
End). Will definitely influence my decisions on what to see when the festival
gets into full swing (I usually decide on this basic premise – What is closest
to Now? figuring in the venue, length and time of next show. If there is a
choice I go by word-of-mouth and the synopsis written in program.

A modern musical fairy-tale about a confused girl who
questions human behaviour and responsibilities and feels that death is the
happiest moment of one’s life. Choreographed and performed by Allison Elizabeth
Burns to music by Faster (Brian Abbott on guitar and Kayla Milmine on vocals
and soprano saxophone). A ‘week-night-after-school’ ‘children’s program’ that
is more for those of us who are children at heart – the theme is too dark for actual
school-aged children with a music that
blends the typical musical sensibility of these programs with a cabaret style free
jazz and abrasive punk and atonality – Mister Rogers meets John Coltrane and
Frank Zappa.

Diverse
grouping of 40 visual artists, one day exhibition at Mai (venue 9). As with
Fringe A-Z same rules applied – no restrictions – first come first served. A
good panorama of who has talent and who doesn’t. Most of the works were for sale with all
proceeds going to the artist. This was its 3rd year and the first in
an actual exhibition hall.

Not
a duo in the conventional sense but a four piece band led by harpist Emilie Kahn
and backed by guitar, keyboard, and drums. Her folksy Melanie-like vocals ("What Have They Done to
My Song Ma"and
"Lay Down")blend
well with her crisp beautiful melodies emanating from her harp. She did one duet
with the cellist from Sweet Mother Logic. Ogden is probably the name of her
harp?

Quintet
consisting of guitar, 2 keyboardists and drums fronted by a vocalist who
frequently sings through a megaphone. The music is basically loud and heavy
rock with spaced out keyboards, bluesy guitar with touches of jazz and at times
sounding like a louder version of the Beatles circa Sergeant Pepper.

Six-piece
instrumental ensemble comprised of keyboards, guitar, violin, cello, trumpet
and drums. Original compositions of a complexity equivalent to serious music
but endowed with popular appeal; follows
the footsteps of pioneering chamber rock ensembles of the 70s such as Univers
Zero, Gryphon and Gentle Giant. Each piece tells a story yet without words. Unfortunately I had to leave before the end of
their set – to catch the last metro at 00:59 – I would have loved to hear more.

An intimate adaptation of Guy de Maupassant’s celebrated novel
Boule de Suif. Ten ‘guests’ sit
around a dinner table while a young woman named ‘Bouffe de Suif’ recounts her
experience in trying to escape a French
town that had been invaded by Prussian forces during the war of 1870-71. She is
accompanied by a group of French who come from widely different backgrounds, social
status and political convictions. Along the way, she is menaced by a Prussian
soldier. Subsequently the others condemn her. This account of the battle of the
sexes questions a code of ethics that chooses its principles based on the
opportunities presented and it is in an up-close and original approach –
through the use of physical theatre. Wonderfully and exquisitely interpreted by
Émilie Jobin, accompanied by Vincent Lefebvre on guitar.

17:30 Get Off the Stage
Presents: All their Greatest Hits / Get Off the Stage Présente: Tous
leur Grand Success:Produced by / Produit parThe House of Style

Kyle Allatt, Timothy Diamond and Ryan Hipgrave
take sketch comedy to new heights in this hilarious new show with off-beat
skits such as a surgeon pushing amputation, incompetent astronauts landing on
Mars and a Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brothers working at McDonalds.

Stand-up
comic, Dan Bingham, recounts his various methods of seeking the attention of
women, his desperate search for ‘the one’ who can fill the empty void left by
a mother who gave him up for adoption and how the results were often ‘disastrous’
(tears, hospital, divorce or jail). Bingham is adept at revealing the pain, hardships
and difficulties of his own life in a way that one gets to know the man and
leaves the show laughing. I highly recommend this show but if last night is a
sign – either reserve now for the remaining 7 shows or arrive at least 1 hour
before – last night’s was completely sold out.

Written
and performed by / Écrite et interprétée par Izad Etemadi (Victoria BC)

Navid,
a young man of 23, decides to escape Iran, his country of origin, in pursuit of
acceptance and happiness. In Iran, this is impossible as Navid is gay and
according to Article 111 of the Islamic Penal Code this is punishable by death.
Clandestinely arriving in Borderland he
meets Zia (who transports him) and Leila (who gives him room and board). Will
these two help him in his dangerous quest or take advantage of this young man
in desperate straits? Izad plays all three characters with credible precision
and clear distinction in this harrowing tale of one seeking acceptance in an
intolerant, hateful and dangerous world.

Colin and Sanjeet have been best friends for a very long
time. When Sanjeet decides to leave home after an argument with his parents,
Colin allows him to move in as roommates. It doesn’t take long before Colin’s
cultural stereotyping becomes apparent. Sanjeet is offended. When Colin’s
sister meets Sanjeet she becomes attracted to him. When he rejects her during a
dinner party that ends badly, she decides to put a spell on him that would
modify his personality to fit her ideals. Instead Colin and Sanjeet exchange
bodies with Colin descending into a ridiculous stereotype; an extremely
hilarious spoof.

An
intense powerful human drama that raises questions as to humanity’s ability or
inability to deal with threats to security in a rational manner or an irrational
one using the same methods as those who ‘threaten’ us – i.e. to decide based on
evidence or resort to fear-induced emotions. Gary, a high school senior,
naively writes an essay about Osama Bin Laden, proclaiming that he is a hero. When
a wave of terrorism sweeps this small town, the neighbours convince themselves
that he is responsible and in frenzy threaten him. Warning – for adults only
due to scenes of violence.

Female
comedy duo, Lake Erie (Brie Watson and Erin Rodgers) perform a sketch comedy
show that is intended to be a guide to help us navigate this confusing modern
world. I found the skits funny and enjoyable in part, but overall, lacking in
professional refinement.

Formed
in 2011, Les Cherries (Élise Corbeil, Nathalie Niesing and Camille Bourdeau)
sing a cappella versions of pop hits both from today and yesterday. Their show
is spiced with comedic banter in-between songs. In general their harmony is
impeccable except for very few off-key moments. They had good stage presence
and pleasant voices.

Singer-songwriter
pianist Gabriella Hook in a solo performance of songs from her first CD Build a Storm plus a few new ones. To
keep things fresh she remixed most of the selections. Her music comes across as
deeply personal. Her vocals and the exquisite beauty streaming from her piano as
she delicately strikes the keys touch the audience with her passionate emotions.
A young promising artist with a high potential of being a major force within
Quebec’s music industry.

In
his early 20s Jeff realized that he was losing his hair. Convinced that it was
due to the fact that he was still a virgin and thus embarks in a desperate race
against time to lose it and stem the loss of his hair before it was too late.
This results in his accidental destruction of his parents’ most valuable
possessions and his situation becoming more hopeless. An eloquent yet very
funny (in a dry sort of way) delivery.

The
voices of five women combine to share their neuroses, preoccupations and daily
activities. Is it five variations of one woman or five individuals united as
one? Well done and tightly knit with both answers to the question previously
asked, looming as a possibility. Comes across as five movements in a piece of
chamber music.

Flûte
Alors! is a recorder quintet created in 1999 and has an eclectic repertoire. They
have won many awards and have played in many prestigious festivals. The Onslow
Quartet is a new Montreal-based string ensemble playing on period instruments.

The intent was to the influence of baroque on
contemporary composers and in my mind they failed. I saw absolutely no baroque
influence on the contemporary piece composed by Chiel Meijering (pieces by Ian
Anderson of Jethro Tull or Steve Howe of Yes and rearranged for recorders and
string quartet would have been more convincing.

The
concert started 15 minutes late, it was pouring rain and there were only four people
in the audience. All 9 musicians were
frequently off-key and out-of-tune; I felt no emotional connection and that I
was listening to an elementary school ensemble that had not rehearsed. I just hope
it was just an off-day.

Musical
comedy about a man who decides to quit his blue-collar computer job in order to
fulfill his dream of having a hit Broadway show. He naively calls his girlfriend and Buddy, his
best friend thinking that they would support him wholeheartedly. Instead they
laugh. When he sends a sample to Buddy, Buddy contacts agents in New York. They
love the music and want to meet the next morning and Buddy says to wear a
blue-tie. Our protagonist is faced with a dilemma – he was to spend the evening
with his girlfriend and the blue-tie was only for the office. What is he
willing to sacrifice to fulfill his dream? A well-made work that hits a universal chord
as most of us inevitably will face the dilemma of doing what we love or taking
care of our immediate concerns.

After
Montreal, Jean-François will take his creation on a historical cross-country Fringe
tour in Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria and Vancouver for a total of 34
presentations. It is historical as it will be the first Francophone production
in the history of these festivals.

Solo theatre that straddles the border between drama and comedy
using simple decorum: cardboard boxes, a
marionette, and a kazoo (accompanied the credits) to recount the story of an
unnamed cashier for a depanneur in a lost village who decides to rearrange the
store in order that the Postman (the marionette) would spend more time with her.
Could be transformed to a popular children’s
after-school television series.

In
the intimate setting of an all-night cafe, singer-songwriter Rupert Wates (guitar)
along with ‘friends’ pianist Bartosz
Hadaia and vocalist Stacy Lorin give an
original musical revue of songs based of true stories. All of the songs are
written by Rupert Wates and retell the experiences of ordinary Americans and
their struggles with prejudice, disillusionment, poverty, love and loss. Born in London England, based in United States
since 2006, Rupert Wates has been songwriting fulltime since 1992. Folksy with
touches of jazz, Rupert Wates succeeds in bringing the listener into the heart
of each story told and feel the same emotions as felt by the story’s main
characters.

After the ice storm in 1998, that caused the most memorable
power outage in its history, Hydro Quebec announced that it would construct a
high-tension 735 kilowatt power line from Hertel Station inMontérégieto Des Cantons in the Eastern Townships. Using the ice storm as a pretext, Hydro
insisted that it was urgently needed and started construction without public
consultations or conducting environmental impact studies. A group of residents
stood up and resisted. This latest multi-faceted work is an autobiographical
look at the confrontation between the citizens and Hydro. Well put together and
engaging.

A
critical look at the way today’s media looks at and reports on the tragedies and
everyday issues faced by ordinary citizens: parents grieving the loss of their
only child, a priest explaining the Miracles of Jesus to a perplexed child, and
debate on poverty and much more. The play poignantly points out the shallowness
and the self-centered “How can I profit from this?” approach of many in the
media.

To the sounds of Motown of the 1960s and 70s
this exquisitely choreographed dance piece “explores our affinity for human
interaction and takes dancers through an emotional landscape of conflicting
needs and desires.” Jasmyn strikes the right keys to trigger the nostalgic
recollections of a typical evening of dancing in the Motown era. The dancers
were stellar and entertaining in every way, fusing elements of jazz and urban
overlaying a foundation of contemporary; intense, fiery and energetic yet
light-hearted.

Between
being vertical and being horizontal there is a lot of space where loss of
equilibrium is possible. A group of five dancers explore this fragile space
through the use of almost 30 pairs of shoes. I found the piece to be a bit long
and repetitive even at 45 minutes.

3.Hellhas no Fury / L’Enfer n’as pas de Fureur, 10m: A woman releases her
fury when scorned by her husband. A woman releases her fury when scorned by her
husband.

4.Body,
What did you Say to Me / Corps, qu’as-tu a me Dire, 30m: A group of strange-looking
creatures learning about the movements of their bodies and how to use them to
communicate with each other. Un groupe de créatures
étranges, apprendre les mouvements de leur corps et comment les utiliser pour
communiquer entre eux.

One woman portraying 13 characters about her
experiences as a child of Indian parents growing up in the Bronx. Qurrat
elegantly, forcefully and engagingly recounts her journey to understand who she
is and to mold herself to become the person she is today. Being Indian in the
Bronx and experiencing its diversity (Puerto Ricans, Afro-Americans and
Caucasians) with parents wanting her to retain her Indian heritage and
traditions versus her desire to be accepted. This outstanding work resonates with universal
relevance for anyone growing up as part of a minority or on the sidelines of
society.

Have you ever wondered what goes on in the office of a
sex therapist and what their personal lives are like? Are strange fetishes,
intimacy issues and impotence treatable? This edgy dramatic comedy tries to
provide an answer to these questions and many others giving us a realistic view
into this world. Margo has just recently graduated and is treating her first
three patients – Ruth, Caleb and Jonah. All of their ‘disorders’ are deeply
rooted. As well Margo is hoping that Brian, her new boyfriend, can meet her
emotional and sexual needs. The interaction between the five actors was
excellent and the work avoided the trapping of sensationalism.

Do we have free will in deciding what we do with our
lives or is there an external force that has already determined everything
beforehand? The answer to this question proves to be enormous and terrifying to
our two protagonists George and Byron. They have decided to spend a quiet
weekend camping when inexplicably a mysterious handwriting appears proclaiming
to be all-knowing. Hilarious and well-written.

Written and performed by / Écrit et interpréter par
Wendy Jehlen and / et Pradhuman Nayak

Dance-theatre that weaves a portrait of two lovers
plagued by nightmares threatening to unleash the violence that lies beneath the
surface. The work required a lot of research into the effect of dreams on the
lives of individuals and especially on couples who sleep together. To relate
the narrative, spoken word is used and spoken in English, Hindi and American
Sign Language quoting Shakespeare and using dance moves from a wide variety of
sources – Capoeira, Indian Martial Arts, West African and Contemporary. Captivating,
mystical, fierce and brilliantly successful.

We
have entered the world of Kitt, an 11-year-old high-octane Danish girl whose
greatest delight is to re-enact her
grandfather’s (bedstefader) grizzly folk
tales – not the ones we tell our children but the original gruesomely violent
ones meant for adult ears. She uses homemade technology for her props and
characters – dolls, fruits and vegetables, chests etc. This often gets her into
trouble like being banned from the school yard when the kindergarten kids came
home with violent drawings. What finally emerges from the fast-paced humour and
ingenious use of homemade puppetry is the touching story of an outcast seeking
the help of strangers to help her in her darkest battle and ‘save’ her bedstefader.

15:45 Tap Me on the
Shoulder,
Pack of Others (Brooklyn United States / États-Unis)

Written and performed by /
Écrit et interpréter par Erika Kate MacDonald

Erika
Kate MacDonald recounts how she, a nerdy lesbian white girl from the hilltops
of New Hampshire broke all accepted conventions to be a rapper. Engaging and well executed with an appropriate
use of samples of her rap songs plus those of others. Her use of masking tape
on the floor to delineate the rooms of her fifth-floor walk-up apartment in
Brooklyn was convincing especially when the audience was invited to ‘a party in
her living room’.

Zack Adams is curious to know how his career is going to be
in the future – will it take off or will he have sunk into obscurity? Finding an old portable time machine from one
of his former professors, he arrives in 2018 and proceeds to try and find his
‘future’ self. Getting sidetracked by an open mic night and meeting a beautiful
parking attendant, he finds something has gone horribly wrong. The ‘future’
Zack Adams is nowhere to be found. A man with two left hands warns him that he
must go back to 2013. A well-executed mash-up of stand-up comedy, engaging storytelling,
side-splitting slapstick, convincing puppetry and between-the-lines music shows
how this multi-talented award-winning creator of sold-out hits has come to
personify the Spirit of the Fringe. You don’t need a huge budget to put on a
great show.

When
the doors to the venue opened at 13:00, we were treated to a solo cello recital
by Serge Mandeville who also provided musical accompaniment plus other sundry
special effects. What followed was a monologue being delivered by Véronick
Raymondbased on true events.On March 8 1990, in the region of Lachute
Quebec, a young woman, Manon Trottier was taken, raped and murdered. At the
moment of her burial, Véronique Raymond, who knew the victim, promised to never
forget Manon Trottier and this deeply personal and emotional work is her
fulfillment of this. I strongly sensed the e motional element
in the delivery of the text.

This
gritty drama depicts a group of twenty-somethings crashing head-on into the
realities of life. Alice’s boyfriend Charles has just died. Having idealised
him, she is devastated. Jo is also haunted as he is able to see Charles. Jo
also knows that Charles had cheated on Alice. Jo is torn between telling Alice
or not. Will it help her to move on or destroy what is left of her grip on
reality?

Mike
Hunter animates a weekly TV magazine on hunting and fishing. While shooting for
the latest episode, the director and former girlfriend Eva Black tells him that
the show is being cancelled due to low ratings. She suggests that they go to Witchtown
on a hunt for real witches. Along with their cameraman, Bob Bellow they do so,
unaware of what is really going to happen. A hilarious situation comedy with
many surprising plot twists.

This
hilarious award winning play explores the natural and unnatural evolution of mankind.
Using the allegory of chairs, the distinctions of class, social standings, and
distribution of resources and hierarchy of power are superbly handled portraying
a microcosm of human society. I sensed the spirit of Samuel Beckett (as in Waiting for Godot) as three men stare
into nothing and express fleeting unfinished thoughts. All are equal, sitting
on the floor until one of them discovers ambition. With the help of his
friends, he cuts down a tree and builds a chair. Enthralled by his new vantage
point he assumes a position of power and controls the resources. A short while later, a second man cuts down
the remaining tree and builds a smaller chair. The third man is still on the
floor with no resources and doing all the work for the other two.

This work – that groups together 10 dancers, 4 actors and 7
artistic collaborators – is based on a quote by Christian Lapointe “To feel
support for the abundance and power of life, we must also make him feel his deadly
animal condition.” A performance involving all of the senses as the 14
performers take us through the furrows of death. The experience was a bit
overwhelming and hard to follow.

Nancy's Books are sold on Kindle or you can email her at hovecreekproductions@gmail.com

Beyond the Dream: Epic Solitude - Nancy's collection of Poetry & short stories. Contact hovecreekproductions@gmail.com or Click on image to read article. Here is the link to Martin Barry's article: http://martincbarry.weebly.com. Book is also available on Amazon Kindle

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Nancy Snipper is also an accomplished singer/songwriter – banjo player and classical pianist. Her three CDs have garnered much media praise along with her performances (Canada, Mexico, Cuba). Her voice is astoundingly beautiful – velvety in her blues numbers, sensual and sizzling in her folk, rock and country compositions. Now you can own one of her CDs. For enquiries about owning her CDs and/or booking performances contact her at this email: hovecreekproductions@gmail.com. Her CDs help raise money for cancer research.

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Collaborators / Collaborateurs:

Sylvain Richard

Nancy Snipper

Note / Nota:

July 10, 2016:The beginning of a new and exciting chapter! Nancy Snipper's (a.k.a S.N.) first posting on her own blog: http://sntravelandartswithoutborders.blogspot.ca/**********************************************To see all articles on a specific topic, scroll down to LABELS and click on desired LABEL. Full articles will appear one after the other that pertain to that label.Keep scrolling down to view more articles, and at end of page, click on OLDER POSTS to read more.Enjoy!